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“Paris+20” : A Simulation of Rio+20's Negotiations by Young People

UNESCO will host the closure of a series of exceptional simulations of negotiations on sustainable development which took place in April and May in various cities across the world. This final simulated negotiation, organized by young people, is entitled "Paris+20". The meeting will be closed to the public on the 7th of June and open to everybody on the 8th from 3pm.

Organized by a team of students from the University Sciences Po Paris, under the aegis of the association Sciences Po Environment and in partnership with UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector, this simulation, called “Paris+20”, will bring together more than a hundred students from all sorts of backgrounds who wish to make their voices heard at the Rio+20 climate conference, and demonstrate that it is possible to move towards a different future by giving youth their say.

Two of the students participating in the project will join France’s official delegation to Rio+20, and take part directly in the negotiations.

The “Paris+20” project has been the source of a movement which has gradually expanded worldwide, at the heart of the network “MyCity+20”, and hopes to influence the negotiations which will unfold in Brazil in June 2012 by being represented at the Rio+20 conference. Inspired by the experience that they had had of the model negotiations on climate change, “Copenhagen: and if it had gone differently?”, organized in 2011, the students of the “Paris+20” initiative decided to give new students the opportunity to live this unique experience.

The project’s research team worked closely with the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) in order to develop innovative possible negotiations that will be tested during this model conference. Through this initiative, the team hopes to develop innovative ideas which could ultimately inspire restructuring in the international negotiation process, and restore confidence in its ability to respond to urgent environmental challenges.

In order to have a greater voice and to engage in the same process as young people worldwide, these students chose to extend their project beyond French borders. In parallel with the model negotiations which will take place in Paris, they also created the project “MyCity+20”, which encourages cities around the world to organize their own simulation of Rio+20.

Many enthusiastic responses were received from organizations of young people and from universities, from every continent. Some similar model conferences have already been held in April (Mumbai+20, New York+20 and Kinshasha+20), while others are ongoing (Amsterdam+20, Mexico+20, Rio de Janeiro+20° etc.). This series of model negotiations will conclude with Paris+20.

The content of the discussions during the “Paris+20” initiative and during its preparations and the outcome does not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO.